for making himself
unpopular with all and sundry, high and low, had not deserted him, was
illustrated by the attitude of the liftman as we entered the hall of the
chambers. He was barely civil to Adderley and even regarded myself with
marked disfavour.

We were admitted by Adderley's man, whom I had not seen before, but who
was some kind of foreigner, I think a Portuguese. It was characteristic
of Adderley. No Englishman would ever serve him for long, and there
had been more than one man in his old Company who had openly avowed his
intention of dealing with Adderley on the first available occasion.

His chambers were ornately furnished; indeed, the room in which we sat
more closely resembled a scene from an Oscar Asche production than a
normal man's study. There was something unreal about it all. I have
since thought that this unreality extended to the person of the man
himself. Grossly material, he yet possessed an aura of mystery, mystery
of an unsavoury sort. There was something furtive, secretive, about
Adderley's entire mode of life.

I had never felt at ease in his company, and now as I sat staring
wonderingly at the strange and costly ornaments with which the room was
overladen I bethought me of the object of my visit. How I should have
brought the conversation back to our Singapore days I know not, but a
suitable opening was presently offered by Adderley himself.

"Do you ever see any of the old gang?" he inquired.

"I was in Singapore about six months ago," I replied, "and I met some of
them again."

"What! Had they drifted back to the East after all?"

"Two or three of them were taking what Dr. Matheson described as a
Busman's Holiday."

At mention of Dr. Matheson's name Adderley visibly started.

"So you know Matheson," he murmured. "I didn't know you had ever met
him."

Plainly to hide his confusion he stood up, and crossing the room drew
my attention to a rather fine silver bowl of early Persian ware. He was
displaying its peculiar virtues and showing a certain acquaintance with
his subject when he was interrupted. A door opened suddenly and a girl
came in. Adderley put down the bowl and turned rapidly as I rose from my
seat.

It was the lady of Katong!

I recognized her at once, although she wore a very up-to-date gown.
While it did not suit her dark good looks so well as the native dress
which she had worn at Singapore, yet it could not conceal the fact that
in a barbaric way she was a ver